Tsang, Wing Yan (Vanessa)

RTG PhD student, member since 2024

Project ''Spatial constructions in the visual modality''

Signers across different sign languages utilize the three-dimensional signing space to simultaneously represent complex morphological structures, given the affordance of the manual modality. Spatial relationships between referents are therefore likely encoded more transparently in sign languages compared to spoken languages. Following this line of thought, my doctoral research project delves into the iconic spatial constructions of motion events and speed descriptions. Specifically, I am interested in the sign-gesture interface of classifier constructions. In addition, I seek to examine the strategies signers use for depicting continuous translocation movements within the limited sign space, an area that currently remains open and understudied. In the project, I first compare two unrelated sign languages, German Sign Language (DGS) and Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL), to identify shared properties of motion representation in signs and to examine the extent of cross-linguistic variation. In subsequent stages, gestural productions by non-signers are to be included for a detailed analysis of modality-specific features in motion representation.

Research interests:

-Iconicity

-Gesture, Sign Language

-Spatial Language

-Embodiment

Vita:

Since 2024 PhD student within the RTG Form-Meaning Mismatches, University of Göttingen

2022 – 2024 MA Linguistics, University of Cologne (Specialization: Sign language linguistics)

2019 Exchange semester, University of Freiburg

2016-2020 B.A Linguistics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong